Seol Ah looked away, saying nothing. Jin-ho watched her for a moment before noticing her trembling hands. He took the last step down the stairs and walked over, sitting beside her with a quiet sigh.
"Now… I guess you hate the sight of me," he blurted.
She snapped her head toward him.
"What?!"
"You're not responding, and you're probably cursing me out in your head," he joked.
Seol Ah shoved his shoulder.
"That's not what I was doing…"
"Huh? So you were answering me—and not cursing me?" Jin-ho teased, leaning closer. She stared at him as he smiled. "Then what did you say, if you answered me?"
She bit her lower lip, turned away, and flopped onto the bed, clutching a pillow tightly.
"Jin Oppa…" she called suddenly.
Jin-ho sighed and fell back, his head landing on the pillow beside hers. He turned toward her.
"Yes?"
"Are you… still in contact with those gangs?" she asked quietly.
Jin-ho froze, his eyes drifting despite her gaze fixed on him.
"I haven't talked to them for over a month," he said. "Why?"
Seol Ah pushed herself up, resting her palms on the bed.
"Could they… hurt Po Lim because of me?"
The question twisted his stomach, shame and guilt rushing through him.
"No," Jin-ho said firmly. "Not unless they want to deal with me first."
Even so, doubt lingered.
Seol Ah lowered her head onto the bed, staring at him.
"Promise me… you won't lie to me," she pleaded.
Jin-ho turned fully toward her and brushed her hair away from her face.
"Let God punish me if I ever lie to you and hurt you," he said solemnly.
Doubt still clung to her, but the hope in his words eased her chest. She crawled closer and rested her head against his chest. Jin-ho wrapped an arm around her, holding her until her breathing slowed. She fell asleep while he quietly finished preparing their meal.
Later, she sat staring at the food without taking a bite.
"Seol Ah…" Jin-ho called, pulling her from her thoughts.
"Yes?"
"Eat while it's warm. I promise it'll taste really good," he said calmly.
Her eyes filled with tears as she forced a smile and nodded.
"Okay…" She picked up her spoon, blew on it, and took her first bite. Her eyes widened as she swallowed. "Whoa! What is this?"
"A family recipe!" he said with a wide grin.
She laughed and took another bite.
"This is really good… who taught you?"
"My mother…"
Seol Ah paused, looking at him.
"Oh… your mother."
He let out an awkward chuckle.
"Don't worry… she died when I was five. The taste might be a little off, but my aunt helped me," he explained.
Seol Ah nodded and set her spoon down.
"You hardly ever talk about your family… you only say crazy things, like how you talked to gangsters and police officers," she said.
They laughed, their eyes meeting.
"That's true…"
"So… tell me."
Jin-ho let out a heavy sigh and paused.
"Both of my parents died when I was five… well, almost. It happened a week before my birthday," he said quietly. "My uncle was the only guardian I had left. He took me in, but my aunt loved me more than he ever did. She treated me like a real kid, but… that ended up costing her life when I was twelve."
When he finished, silence settled between them. Seol Ah stood, walked over, and wrapped her arms gently around his shoulders.
"Even if you don't want to cry, I just want you to know… it's okay to cry. It's okay to scream. It's okay to be angry."
With every word, something locked deep inside Jin-ho slowly cracked open. Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes.
"I…" he whispered, holding back a sob.
She patted his shoulders and smiled softly beside his cheek.
"It sounds like she really loved you… and that she wanted you to love yourself, too. If you keep it all inside, it'll just rot there," Seol Ah said quietly.
He gave a faint smile, leaning his head against hers. Reaching out, he took her hand in his and held it.
"Do I… sound like a monster?" Jin-ho asked quietly. "Someone who doesn't cry, even after all that?"
Seol Ah slid her hand lightly along his neck.
"You sound more human than the gangsters I've been dealing with lately," she joked.
He laughed and glanced over his shoulder before pulling her closer, resting his forehead against hers.
"Really? So you trust me, right?"
Seol Ah's cheeks burned as she squeezed her eyes shut. Stop beating! Her heart thudded loudly in her chest.
"Y-Yeah!" she answered too quickly and pushed herself away. She hurried back to her chair and focused on eating.
Jin-ho watched her, propping his chin on his hand, smiling as he observed her. When she peeked at him and caught his stare, she choked, coughing as she reached for her water. He chuckled.
"Eat carefully," he said gently.
She groaned, gulping down the water. I swear I'm going to get constipated if he keeps staring at me.
After that afternoon, Seol Ah went home to make sure Yu Young and Po Lim were safe, though she didn't go inside, just as she had promised Po Lim. While she quietly hoped they were okay, Jin-ho was dealing with his own thoughts.
He lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
"I only told her the name… I never showed her a photo of Seol Ah's sister," he muttered, his brows knitting together. "Si Yeon… did you do this without telling me?"
The thought lingered, but his mind soon drifted back to Seol Ah, his new star beneath the dark, restless night sky.
FIVE DAYS LATER - BREAK IS OVER
Jin-ho walked to school with Seol Ah from the hideout. It had been a normal day at school, and for a moment, they thought the trouble was behind them. Seol Ah hadn't received another message from the tattooed man. Jin-ho had a new phone now, distancing himself from the gang and focusing entirely on keeping Seol Ah safe.
After school, they headed to a nearby convenience store. Seol Ah went inside first while Jin-ho waited outside. He glanced at his phone and saw a flood of messages from Bin Sin. He sighed, frustrated, and looked up.
Just then—
A punch swung toward his face, but he dodged just in time and stepped back. Before he could react, another punch came at him. Jin-ho blocked it, countering with a swift kick to the attacker's wrist, then returning a punch of his own.
"Who are you?!" he demanded.
The man smirked and charged, slamming Jin-ho to the ground. Jin-ho groaned as his back hit the pavement hard. The man trapped him there, raining fists down. Jin-ho raised both arms to protect his face, blocking as much as he could. The man cackled.
"How would you like it if she disappeared?" he sneered between blows.
Jin-ho's fists clenched, powerless. Seol Ah?!
As the man raised his arms for another strike, Jin-ho swung, landing a punch squarely on the man's face and pushing him back. He wiped his chin quickly, stood, and glared, jaw tight and breathing heavy.
"Who are you?" he demanded again.
The man grinned, his sneer sharp.
"A debt collector. Thanks to the sweet Si Yeon, we got more information," he said.
Jin-ho's hands trembled with rage, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the man. Damn you, Si Yeon. I trusted you?!
The man lunged again, landing a brutal strike to Jin-ho's stomach.
At that moment, Seol Ah finally stepped out of the store, two drinks in her hands.
"Jin Oppa…" she called, then froze—
The drinks slipped from her hands, clattering to the ground, as her fists curled tightly in shock and fear.
Seol Ah charged at the man's back, kicking his rib as he flew to the side. Jin-ho's eyes widened as he looked at Seol Ah.
"Seol Ah?"
"Are you okay, Jin Oppa?"
The man chuckled as he glanced at them.
"Such cute little lovebirds," he cackled maniacally.
Seol Ah glared at him and tied her hair up.
"Questions get no answers… threats need to be diminished," she stated clearly, knowing she wouldn't get answers if she asked.
The man leaned his head back, locking eyes with her.
"Oh, you're right. You'll never get answers," he sneered. Then he leaped toward them, swinging his fist directly to Seol Ah's stomach.
Jin-ho saw the angle and quickly pushed her away, and then he raised his knee to the man's chin. The man faltered back, groaning. He glared at Jin-ho and attacked. The moment the man's hand landed near Jin-ho's face, he smirked. Jin-ho froze in confusion before—
SLASH.
Jin-ho stumbled away and touched his cheek.
A cut.
He looked at the man. Seol Ah kicked the man's wrist, but then the man hurled his hand to her. Jin-ho panicked and ran to grab the hand.
"No! Seol Ah!"